listen to full report: Download audio file (1DenaliReport..mp3)

So far only 16 climbers have ended their attempts on North America’s highest peak, with only two making it to the summit. That’s a 12 percent success rate for climbing Mt McKinley at this point in the season.

A number of parameters lead to a successful attempt at climbing Mt. McKinley, and success is a combination of good circumstances and proper preparation.

The National Park Service in March released a report on the investigation of an early-season accident in May of 2011 that led to the death of a climber. According to the report, three climbers led by a guide experienced a fall while descending from the summit of Mt. McKinley.  As they made their way down from the summit around 11pm under deteriorating weather conditions and high winds, a climber fell, and pulling his four roped-in team-mates in to a slide of several hundred feet. The climbers had each experienced injuries, and, as weather conditions worsened their guide left the group to get help. The events ultimately leading to the death of climber Beat Niederer, the details of which have been highlighted by an article in the Alaska Dispatch

In the subsequent report, released in March, the investigating team made ten recommendations to Park Management to create a safer operating environment and decrease the chances of a similar situation arising in the future. The recommendations include adding a steel snow shovel, and an ice saw, and sleeping bag to the list of mandatory gear for summit attempts. The foursome had with them the gear required by the park service for summit attempts, including a nylon bivy sack, snow shovels, and radios. But the bivy sack didn’t provide the warmth necessary for emergency situations, and the snow shovels were too flimsy to dig a trench in wind-hardened snow. Another recommendation the team made to the Park was to emphasize that guides remain with their clients in an emergency, in order to increase chances of survival.

When pursuing a goal such as the summit of North America’s highest peak, the investigating team emphasized the responsibility to be able to make the decision to turn around short of the summit, during late hours in increasing winds. Guide David Staeheli had a 30 year history of climbing and guiding in the Alaska range, and had a solid reputation as a capable mountaineer and guide. In the aftermath of the mishap high on Denali, he is unlikely to return to the mountains he loved. One of the investigating committee’s recommendations is to provide a description of this accident to each climbing guide operation on the mountain.

The hope is that in the future, even under such extreme conditions as those of May, 2011, the chances of survival could be increased.

In 1944, Bing Crosby posed this question in a song: “A mule is an animal with long funny ears / Kicks up at anything he hears / His back is brawny and his brain is weak / He’s just plain stupid with a stubborn streak / And by the way, if you hate to go to school / You may grow up to be a mule”

Smokey, the 11 year old mule, is the newest addition to the Susitna River Lodge.  Smokey’s owner, Howard Hunter, has had an interest in mules for over the last half-decade. About a week ago Hunter found Smokey though an online classified, and brought him up to Talkeetna where people have noticed him on the spur road just outside of downtown.

Mules are a cross between a male donkey and a female horse.  The “long funny ears” that crown their head make them exceedingly alert. Mules are intolerant of dogs, and will even kill them in some cases. This trait makes mules ideal for flocks, and frequently used for protecting sheep, so “Fido” may want to keep his distance.

True to the song, Smokey, at 14.3 hands high, can be positively stubborn.  Thus, he is enclosed in an electric fence. Hunter says Smokey’s zebra stripe-like markings identify him to be among the highest quality of mules. He enjoys hay and oats, but he is not a picky eater, and enjoys twigs as well.

Download audio file (1Neuman.mp3)

Neuman highlighted some projects that benefit the Susitna Valley include the funding of the Talkeetna Library Matching Grant, the Wood-Fired Boiler for Susitna Valley High School. One bill that didn’t make it out of committee before the session ended was a bill to create the Susitna State Forest. Neuman says he expects the bill to come back next session, but he’d like to see it carefully examined.

Download audio file (2Neuman.mp3)

The Proposed Susitna Dam didn’t see much time in the legislature, but Neuman says the Alaska  Industrial Development Authority got a boost from the legislature for low-interest loans for power transmission lines, which could be used to tie the Dam into the rail-belt grid.

Download audio file (3Neuman.mp3)

Though the session is now over, Neuman says he’s involved in a number of work groups that will be continuing to address the oil issue over the summer.

Aladdin’s Lamp

Download audio file (1NSI-21.mp3)

The Institute will use the grant to fund its principle programs, the Talkeetna Build-A-Plane, Alaska Folk School, and Classroom with a View. Page says the Career Exploration and Applied Learning, or CEAL Academy internship program will be getting a substantial boost this summer, and now teens who undertake internships can receive high-school credits.

Download audio file (2NSI-20.mp3)

NSI is still currently engaged in a capital campaign to raise funds for a permanent home. They had hoped to buy the former Talkeetna Christian Center, located at mile 14 of the spur road. There is no word on whether they will be able to raise the required 350-thousand dollars to purchase the property, but the Institute is committed to providing programming, regardless of where they eventually call home.

At 986, we’re almost there!  Spread the word.  “like” us on our facebook page, KTNA Talkeetna.  Thanks!

Kathleen has compiled some print information about the Eclipse and the Transit (intended to accompany Eclipse Shades).  For observers in Alaska click here here.  For observers in the Lower 48, click here.  There you will find maps and websites for more details.

Audio is about about twelve and a half minutes. Correction to audio: The moon’s distance and therefore apparent size difference between perigee and apogee is approximately 13%, not 13 degrees.

Download audio file (sds-05-13-12.mp3)

]]> http://ktna.org/2012/05/14/stardate-susitna-5-13-2012/feed/ 0 http://ktna.org/2012/05/11/identity-mix-up-could-prompt-name-change-for-x-lake-y-lake/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=identity-mix-up-could-prompt-name-change-for-x-lake-y-lake http://ktna.org/2012/05/11/identity-mix-up-could-prompt-name-change-for-x-lake-y-lake/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 01:48:59 +0000 Lorien Nettleton http://ktna.org/?p=19711 Three lakes in Talkeetna have names that aren’t really names – they’re letters. Currently known as X, Y and Z lakes, the trio of water bodies have been an item of confusion, occasional derision, and frequent ambivalence since the day a map-maker identified each of them with just a single letter.But on about 50 percent of maps, X lake and Y lake are swapped. Two people could stand side by side on a canoe dock, and if they had differing maps, their argument about whether they were at X or Y could be confounding. But the inconsistency could do more than fuel a spat between friends.

The fishing regulations at each lake are different, and an angler believing they were within the law would still have to face the citation should they be issued one.

The names pose a problem for emergency responders as well. If a rescue was necessary for someone at X lake, and the responders have a different map, they could show up at Y lake. The problem needs to be fixed.

The Talkeetna Parks Advisory Committee and the Upper Susitna Soil and Water Conservation District are testing the waters for changing the names of Lakes X, Y, and Z. They would like to know if the community has an interest in changing the names, and if so, what would be a suitable replacement?

The process of re-naming the lakes is a long one, and before any move is made to go through the trouble of filing an appeal with the State Office of History and Archaeology, The Soil and Water Conservation District is asking people for suggestions. If they get enough response, they’ll compile a list and present it back to the community.

listen to full story: Download audio file (1AKRailRoad300.mp3)

The Alaska Railroad is worried that Senate-approved changes to the Federal Transit Administration Formula funds would put their passenger service in jeopardy. The Senate version of a Surface Transportation bill could pull as much as 30 million dollars from their budget. The House version of the bill leaves the Alaska allocation unchanged.

Alaska Railroad CEO Chris Aadnesen says that if this funding is stripped, they’ll have to cover the remaining 137 million in bond debt, and the railroad would be forced find another source to help meet a federally required passenger service safety feature called Positive Train Control by 2015, to the tune of 100 million dollars.

Clip: 1

The Rail Road originally began receiving FTA funding in 2006 after a compromise brought the railroad 36 million dollars annually for their passenger service. The additional funding enabled them to take out bond debt with a 15 million annual repayment for capital projects like track rehabilitation and depot improvements.

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Aadnesen says Alaska has been singled out for cuts out of resentment of the large amount of federal funds spent in Alaska

Clip: 3

In April the house and Senate have formed a conference committee to settle the differences between the two bills. A final bill should be arrived at by September.

listen to full story:Download audio file (1SalmonSchool414.mp3)

Salmon eggs need consistent environmental conditions. The 3rd and 4th graders in Mary Ostermick’s class at Talkeetna Elementary all know this. They’ve shared their classroom with an aquarium full of Coho salmon for the last 8 months. What began as little orange eggs slowly developed into little fish, and the students know that temperature, light, and food have all been critical to the fish’s development.

Just ask 4th grader Dalton Penard

Clip: 1

The salmon hatching project is is part of 4th grade’s Alaska studies curriculum, and students from 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade all get to observe their development, while keeping an eye on the tank.

The tank was provided by fish and game, and for most of the winter was insulated on all sides with blue foam, both to keep the temperature consistent, and to block out the light, just as ice cover would block the light reaching the eggs on a wild river.

4th grader Rosalee Meyer describes what it was like having the tank in the room for the whole time.

Clip: 2

Today, as part of the Mat Su Salmon Fest, the 4th graders released the fish into Matanuska Lake. It is the culmination of a biology lesson 8 months in the making. If these fish were to make it to the sea, they would live there for three to five years. Rosalee Meyers knows what would happen then

Clip: 3

Before they release the fish into the lake, they were paid a visit by Fish and Game biologist who talked to them about the circumstances fish rely upon to exist. Last fall, fish and game brought in salmon for the kids to dissect, where they learned about all the parts of the fish we don’t eat. Here’s Dalton and Rosalee describing what that experience was like

Clip: 4n

The Susitna river flows 200 yards behind Talkeetna elementary. In the fall, students who take a ten minute walk can see the last salmon of the season returning to their spawning grounds on the Talkeetna, Chulitna, and Susitna rivers. If it were to be built the proposed Susitna-Watana Dam would change the water temperature and ice formation on the Susitna river. Today’s fourth grade class might, in 15 years, be seeing a wholly different river ecosystem.

But for the science project of today, that’s still a long way off.

The Cat That Walked By Himself

1: Download audio file (1CommunityDevMgr11.mp3)

Much of Eric Phillips’ background has been working with smaller rural communities  doing project development. Before ending up in the Mat Su, he was assistant city manager in Valdez. Before that, he had several years working in non-profits, and he says most of which involved getting people what they needed.

2: Download audio file (2CommunityDevMgr33.mp3)

He has a background in recreation in recreation and environmental resource management. He says the goal of any project is to bring a variety of viewpoints in to agreement.

3: Download audio file (3CommunityDevMgr33.mp3)

Phillips says he’s started the process of making his way to all the communities to see the facilities and structures, visit the parks and trails, and meet the people Mat Su.

Late Tuesday night Mayor DeVilbiss said he was pleased with the conservative budget that came from Borough Manager John Moosey as flat from last year, with the exception of voter-approved bonds.

DeVilbiss said the Assembly’s actions on this year’s budget could lower the cap on next year’s mill rate.

Download audio file (1Budget-Approved43.mp3)

Members of the assembly can still reconsider elements of the budget, and Assembly Member Ron Arvin has already requested a reconsideration of an ordinance calling for the reduction of the mill levy without cutting departmental budgets or reductions in services to the borough residents.

Mayor DeVilbiss still has the option of veto before the Assembly meeting on Tuesday, May 15th.

Download audio file (1Budget-Citizen.mp3)

The Talkeetna Community Council held its May meeting Monday night at the Elementary School. It was an active meeting, with several resolutions passed to write letters in support of a number of issues within the borough.
In Brief: the council and audience discussed Talkeetna’s Special Use District, or SPUD regulations, and how they could be enforced. Talkeetna has a codified number of regulations designed to preserve the character of the area. One of the codes calls for property owners along the Spur Road to maintain a vegetative buffer between their property and the Spur Road’s right of way. The vegetative buffer, a minimum 25 feet of natural brush and trees, has been clear cut at several sites along the spur road, roughly between Answer Creek at mile 5 and Comsat road.

The council agreed to create a committee to come up with an awareness campaign that would remind land owners of the SPUD guidelines. They also plan to send a letter to the Borough Assembly urging them not to eliminate funding for the office of Code Compliance, which has been stripped in the proposed 2013 budget, which is currently in deliberations.

The landowner who recently cleared the property adjacent to the Railroad Depot just outside of downtown Talkeetna was in attendance at the meeting. David Tisch introduced himself to the council and laid out his plans for the newly cleared lot. Tisch plans on making a parking lot at the site, with 80 spots for cars and trucks, and 13 spots for buses and RVs. There will also be bicycle rentals at the location, and Tish’s goal is to divert parking away from downtown and alleviate summer time traffic congestion. Tisch also said he would like to donate a portion of his property for public use toilets, and had already contacted the Borough to negotiate a transfer. The council welcomed the idea of additional toilets that could meet some of the demands of summer visitors, and encouraged Tisch to contact the Parks Advisory Committee, who have been working with he borough to come up with a solution to increase the flow of public facilities.

The council discussed the proposed 2013 Mat Su Borough Budget, now being deliberated by the Assembly. The Council agreed to send comment to the assembly that they would rather see the Code Compliance office continue to receive funding. Another item in the budget the council will ask for funding is the Health and Human Services Matching Grant, which is likewise stripped in the proposed budget. The Health and Human Services Matching Grant is intended to enhance rural access to health care.

The Council agreed to send a letter to Assemblyman Vern Halter, Borough Manager John Moosey, and Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss concerning a change in Road Service Area allocations. Christiansen Lake Road could possibly be transferred from State maintenance to Borough Maintenance as part of a swap with the state for maintenance responsibilities for Seward Meridian Parkway in Wasilla. The transfer of a state maintained road to the borough for maintenance would balance that change. The roughly one- and a half-mile Christiansen Lake road is expected to cost 75-hundred dollars annually, which accounts for a quarter of the area’s maintenance budget.  The Borough-wide Road Service Board calls the plan under consideration would place the burden of the transfer solely on the local Road Service Area, rather than being distributed across several Areas borough wide.

And finally, the council agreed to submit comments to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in response to the Scoping Documents for the proposed Susitna-Watana Dam. The comments will reflect the concerns identified during the scoping hearings held in Talkeetna in March. The comment period for the Scoping documents has been extended until May 31st.

KTNA News will have follow-ups on these stories as they continue to develop.

Listen to full audio: Download audio file (1DenaliReport.mp3)

The first two climber’s of the season have successfully reached the summit of North America’s Tallest Mountain. Jeremy Aschen and Adam Bartlett of Vail, Colorado ascended the west buttress route and made it to the top of Denali on May 5th. They reported cold conditions and some frostbite, but neither required significant medical attention. So far, 6 other climbers have withdrawn from the mountain without making it to the top.

A crew of 8 people assisted Mountain Ranger Roger Robinson in establishing base camp last week. Samuel Alexander of Fort Yukon was one of them. Alexander is one of seven climbers who will participate in the Centennial Expedition honoring the first ascent of Denali. The expedition is made up of descendants of the successful 1913 expedition, and Alexander’s connection, as an Alaska Native raised in Fort Yukon, was the youngest member of the expedition, John Fredson.

Download audio file (1JohnFredson.mp3)

John Fredson was the first Alaska native to graduate from college, who later went on to enhance the village of Fort Yukon with his knowledge of western ways. Fredson later established the Venetie Indian Reserve, 1.6 million acres north of Fort Yukon which is reserved for the Gwich’in people to continue their traditional lifestyle.

For Alexander, the week at base camp was a good introduction to high mountaineering. He’s familiar with many individual components of  a three week climb, but just to be sure, he’s back up in the mountains this week getting some additional experience.

Download audio file (I-was-in-special-forces.mp3)
For Alexander, achieving the highest summit is a journey to honor his heritage, and makes a comparison to the Hudson expedition, both of whom lobby to recognize the mountain under it’s commonly accepted original name, Denali.

Download audio file (Native-People-wouldnt-name-a-mountain.mp3)

KTNA news will have more of our interview with Samuel Alexander when he returns from six day mountaineering course next week.

 photos by Robin Song

Host and producer Robin Song tells what the melting snow revealed about a drama which took place last fall. Audio is about 7 minutes. Text follows.

Download audio file (NatObs20120506FindingAntlers.mp3)

On March 25th I decided to snowshoe to a pond to see what it looked like in wintertime. Previously, I had only been there in summer, when I had taken Lyra- and any dogs I was care taking- swimming on hot days. I was curious to see the area under a blanket of snow. With Lyra trotting ahead on the firm snow, I headed into the forest and began the long ascent up to the ridge. We came out on the northwest side of the pond and headed for the south shoreline so I could get a photo of the area with the sun behind me.

I noticed that Lyra was investigating something poking out of the snow near the edge of the forest. I saw antler tines and thought she had discovered a shed moose antler. As I walked on over, I saw that there were two antlers. Studying the pair, I noticed that one tine was entwined between two tines of the antler next to it. I thought maybe as the snow built up around them during the winter, the pressure had turned the antler into its mate. I could see that the smaller tines had been gnawed off by critters, and I wanted to salvage what was left. Upon further examination, I found that the antlers were still attached to the moose, buried under the snow. I thought that maybe this bull had died of injuries sustained during last fall’s rut.

As the snow deepened, animals visiting the remains had dug tunnels under the snow. A path used by animals coming and going had been blazed through the forest. I headed back to the cabin and called a friend. He agreed to come out and help me retrieve the antlers.

The next day we took turns pulling a sled containing rope, shovels, and a chain saw. Arriving at the remains, we removed our snowshoes and got down into the pit to shovel the snow away from the base of the antlers. I dug down and hit something hard under the snow. Clearing it, I discovered another tine, but it was in an odd location. Shoveling away more snow, the realization of what I had discovered hit me: this was the remains of two bull moose, whose antlers had become locked together. I was stunned. I had seen photos of, and had read about such an account, but never expected to find one myself. Clearing more snow away, we discovered that the bulls had been facing each other when they died. Their antlers were matched in size, which is why I had originally thought it was one moose.

Antlers cut from the skulls, we loaded them on the sled, lashed them down, and began the return trek. It was sobering, thinking about how these two animals had died. I couldn’t dwell on it, for I found myself getting depressed. It seemed an unnecessarily cruel way to die.

Hormones had brought these two males into battle, then the unexpected happened when their antlers entangled. They had gone from fighting to struggling for their very lives, then finally stress and starvation had ended their long ordeal.

The snow was too deep to retrieve the pair of antlers still buried. We had only brought small shovels, not expecting a major excavation. I planned to return when the snow melted enough to free the other antlers.

Back at the cabin, I called a few friends to share my unusual find. I was saddened by my discovery, and commented to one friend that Nature sure seemed cruel, sometimes. She said to remember that this was not a planned event- it was an accident. And to also think about all the critters those moose had fed over the long, deep-snow winter. Indeed, I had occasionally seen an adult bald eagle sitting atop a tall spruce in the vicinity of the pond, and had wondered why an eagle would be there in winter. Now I knew that the eagle had been coming to the remains. I also saw tracks and scat from coyotes and foxes, marten, ermine, and ravens.

On April 22nd another friend and I returned to the moose to retrieve the remaining antlers. The snow was slushy, and the going was tough. I broke trail, my snowshoes plunging into the snow with almost every step. The moose had died in a clearing between the edge of the forest and the shore of the pond. With the sun climbing higher in the sky as spring progressed, the snow had quickly melted away from the remains. The skulls and spines, ribs and legs seemed huge, lying there in piles of moose hair. The two antlers were pristine- no animals had gnawed on them at all. From the size, we guessed that they were maybe four-year olds.

It seemed like they could have freed themselves as they swung their heads, pushing and pulling. It just didn’t seem possible that two such strong animals couldn’t have jerked their antlers lose. But there they were. They had died staring at each other, collapsing at last onto the ground, drained of their great strength. The instinct to fight had eventually given over to panic, then surrender to the inevitable. Male hormones had driven these two into the fight, and I wondered if there had been a cow moose watching from the forest. I wondered how long she would have stayed until she realized that something was very wrong. Eventually she would have left, leaving the two warriors to their fate.

A lot of moose died this winter- many of them yearlings- losing the struggle to find food as the snow depleted their energy. I personally know of nine moose remains, and have heard of many more. The bears will have a lot of food waiting for them as they come out of their dens this spring. I wonder if a bear will find the remains of the pair of bulls, replenishing its body with the feast.

Who knows why such things happen? Thankfully, it’s a rare event. Though these two bulls had struggled and died, their gift was to help keep many different animals alive over the winter. Their goal was to pass along their genes. Maybe this was accomplished before the great battle ensued. I hope so. I like to think there may be a little moose calf – or two – born into the world in a few more weeks, struggling to its feet and feeling the soft tongue of its mama licking it dry as the sun warms its velvety hide.

It’s the age-old dance of life and death, death and life, the ending and the continuing. I am honored- and humbled- to have come upon evidence of the ending of the lives of these two bulls. Perhaps I will encounter a little moose calf in this area this summer, and wonder if its genetics trace back to either of the bulls, whose lives ended so spectacularly, near the secluded pond surrounded by the silent forest.

Antler Find

Written: May 2, 2012 by Robin Song

Finding Moose Antlers

Notably absent were common loons and belted kingfishers, and scarce were common redpolls, but American robins were everywhere, and many species of ducks were seen. A couple birders recorded golden-crowned sparrows in the Talkeetna townsite, and a hermit thrush and hawk owl, both unusual for the Birdathon list, were also turned in. The group total of species seen was 65, a lower tally than was recorded for many of the past fifteen years.

It’s the fuel that revs the engines of most talkeetna residents- and most of the world.  Coffee is a drink that many of

us take  for granted as a vital part of our daily lives; though, in reality, it’s a luxury.  Recently, Talkeetna’s Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe hosted a coffee tasting for the community as well as training their own employees in the delicacies and intricacies of the specialty coffee world.  Amanda Randles followed the aroma to the source to learn more, and has this story:

Listen to full story: Download audio file (1Coffee.mp3)

Michael McGuire of K-Bay coffee roastery out of Homer knows his Bolivian from his Balinese, and has dedicated his life towards the pursuit of the perfect cup – as well as using coffee as a medium for making change in the world.  He says if people in our part of the world learn to appreciate quality – and pay for it – it leads to a better quality of life for those growers in far off places, who then work towards delivering a better and better product.  what it takes is educating the palates of the consumers – a mission McGuire seems to take great pleasure in doing.

On Saturday, visitors to the Flying Squirrel were greeted by free samples of a variety of different coffees.  They also were able to learn about different brewing styles, different ways the coffees are grown, even who does the growing.  And behind this fragrant display was McGuire with a ready smile and loads of information – a passionate missionary for the world of specialty coffees.

cut 0:38 “it’s amazing, really, to be the source…to make some positive change.”

McGuire has been in specialty coffee since 1982. He founded K-Bay Cafe in 1998 in Homer –   the same year McGuire won the the award for national barista of the year.  He began roasting his own coffee in 2004, after it became too challenging to ship the best coffee from all over the world, and have it delivered fresh.  So McGuire became his own roaster.

cut 0:34 “coffee as the second largest…. people who are doing the work.”

McGuire says for his roastery, all coffee is initially chosen on a base-line of organic – after that, he chooses between different cooperatives and companies who provide for such things as the best working conditions – but the final deciding factor is always taste.  Because the consumers, on our end, want quality flavor first:

cut 0:30 “that cup of coffee….a treat”

McGuire says the next step is the story behind the bean:

cut 0:24 “when you can provide them a product… love for what you’re doing”

McGuire believes there is still a place in the world for “diner coffee” – most of that coffee has a higher caffeine content than specialty coffees, providing a necessary kick to the senses when needed.  There’s also a place for the very American stop and go giant fancy coffees.  But McGuire says there is another place for coffee lovers:

cut 0:27 “the cafe scene…large variety of people”

McGuire says the big, milk-based grab-and-go coffee franchises such as Starbucks have grown out of that, but there is still room for the espresso-based, specialty coffee world in small cafes that focus on quality coffee from all over the world.

For the personal connoisseur, McGuire says preparing the best quality coffee at home is not a matter of one, simple answer.

cut 0:30 “to get the best flavor out….bring that body out.”

McGuire says cold brewing a concentrate is also a good option, though time consuming.  And, he says, the automatic drip, mister coffee style – is not always a bad thing.  the best water temperature for brewing is between 109 and 202 degrees Fahrenheit.  A newer automatic drip coffee machine can do that.  the problem is with most home coffee machines is that they brew at the right temperature, but the heating element often fails within a year, the temperature is not longer as exact, and the quality then goes down.  The best brewing style, according to McGuire, is espresso, though that’s not often an option for home brewing.

After a day of training the palates of coffee connoisseurs in Talkeetna – and getting everyone hopped up on more than just spring sunshine – McGuire headed back to his cafe and roastery in Homer – to roast some more beans from far off, exotic places, and leaving local coffee fans a little more informed – and -alert – than before.

listen to full story: Download audio file (1DensityBuildout245.mp3)

The 2010 Census has 89-thousand people living in the Mat Su Borough. Following a strong growth trend, planners envision a day when an additional 3-hundred-fifteen thousand people will call the valley home. For planners, preparing for a day when all available land is occupied is essential for making future plans for infrastructure. Enter a New tool called the Density and Build-out model. It pairs statistics with Geographic Information Services, and Planners from the Borough, and Lauren Kruer says the tool will help plan for the future

clip: 1density buildout

Kruer says the tool lets the planning department create maps that blends layers of information about soils, water bodies and wetlands, and slopes to forecast where most likely areas for settlement will be, and project what the total population the land can hold. From those projections they can start to anticipate where structures like schools and public safety stations can be placed.

Clip: 2densityBuildOut

Though the day when the borough’s population rivals that of anchorage may still be a long ways off, planners are already thinking about where to put them when they get here

listen to full story Download audio file (1TBI229.mp3)

Traumatic Brain Injuries can be caused by automobile accidents, falls on the ice, assaults, almost anything.   But unlike broken bones or visible blood, brain injuries can be virtually invisible, and often go untreated or undertreated.  But brian injuries can have pervasive, long lasting effects on the victims – they can include speech problems, memory problems, even what appears to be large changes in personality.  Richard Rainery, Interim Executive Director of the Alaska Brain Injury network, says that Traumatic Brain Injury can be caused by many things, but the most common are automobile accidents, along with ATV and snowmachine accidents.

cut 1 0:34 “Alaska is a hot bed, if you will….the way they lead their lives.”

Rainery says the rate of brain injuries in rural parts of the state is far higher than the urban areas, which is why the network likes to hold their quarterly meetings in various communities – to get information out about what they do; and to give residents of that area a chance to communicate with them.

The Alaska Brain Injury Network exists to provide advocacy, develop services for those who’ve suffered traumatic brain injuries and and their families, as well as offer a referal service towards other available services.

Rainery says the first step, however, is prevention:

cut 2 0:33 “The helmet is the ….. pay attention to that

While in Talkeetna, the members of the network have held open information sessions and public testimony, as well as holding their regular business meetings.  More information and assistance for those suffering from a brain injury can be found at Alaskabraininjury.net.

The approximately 40 hydrants in town have been shut off and bagged for the winter. Last fall, Kilgo flushed the hydrants before shutting them down, which resulted in a discoloration of residential water. He says some people might notice a discoloration of the water again this spring, but he expects it will be less noticiable this time, because there are no records of the hydrants being flushed prior to last fall, and the build-up could have been related.

Kilgo says he will start flushing the hydrants at night on Thursday or Friday this week, and he expects it could take as many as two days to flush out the hydrants.

Borough Manager John Moosey submitted the 576-page document to the assembly last week, and says that while the mill rate increased slightly due to voter-approved school bonds, the proposed 10-point-three-eight-one mill rate reflects an attempt to expand borough services without creating additional burden on taxpayers.

Download audio file (1BudgetHearing32.mp3)

School funding makes up 75-percent of the budget, and includes three-percent increase in funding that the school board requested. Other highlights of the budget include 13 million for Port Mackenzie the project and related resource development, as well at 15 million for capital projects around the borough. Manager Moosey says his proposed budget aims to meet with the priorities identified by the assembly for enhancing the borough’s financial prospects.

Download audio file (2BudgetHearing58.mp3)

Moosey added that the budget is now in the hands of the Assembly, where items may be added and withdrawn, and though he would be surprised if it came through in its exact form, he feels he delivered a budget that met all requirements as closely as possible.